Wow! Kind of Harsh!

I received a surprisingly harsh message from a reader in response to my post called WW Rant. Maybe I need to explain my ever changing belief system when it comes to food in my life. I was told to drop my “holier than thou” attitude and get off my high horse. I really must say it surprised me. I will be the first one to say that “my way” is what is working for me right now, today. That doesn’t mean it is the "right way" for someone else and it doesn’t rule out that I many learn something tomorrow and adjust from there. I am figuring all this out one day at a time just like anyone else. I apologize for coming across in a way that seemed judgmental to anyone.

I still do eat some (as little as possible) processed food. I have tried to especially cut sugar substitutes and white flour out of my life. I just don’t think our bodies were meant to subsist on these ingredients. For goodness sakes, up until a few months ago, I ate a lean cuisine for lunch every single day. I just found that my body feels better and more satisfied when I eat something whole and fresh like a spinach salad with chicken on it. When I started WW last year I was willing to buy anything they said I should if it meant that I lost weight and could sustain my addiction to sweets. Many people don’t have the addiction to chocolate as I did. It was all I could think about. You’ve seen my earlier posts about binging on Vitamuffins or fiber one bars or using all but a few of my daily points on junk food. The greatest thing I ever got out of Boot camp in May was cutting all that stuff out and breaking my addiction with chocolate.

Did I eat some Mackinaw Island fudge and enjoy ice cream in a waffle cone on my vacation this weekend? You bet your ass I did! Did I enjoy it? You bet your ass I did! Was I sick for two days after? You bet your ass I was! I’ve been home for two days and don’t want to see anything resembling sugar for a very long time!

Here is my understanding of how sugar substitutes work in our brain. When we eat something (be it HFCS, Splenda, or whatever they put in the low fat and fat free treats) the stomach gets a message from our tastebuds saying “Hey we just felt sweet and so you are going to get some awesome calories in a bit.” When the stomach doesn’t receive the calories, it sends a message to our brain saying “WTF! You were supposed to send calories and didn’t. Go get something else.” I think it can put us on a terrible rollercoaster ride and I am glad I don’t have those strong cravings anymore.

Granted, I am NOT a scientist, this is just what I’ve read and I pretty much feel that this is how my body reacts. That’s why, when all this low fat stuff came out it gave me permission to eat more and the chemical reactions in my body reinforced the overeating and binging.

So, If you love the WW products and it helps you in your weight loss that is fantastic. Your journey is the only one that should matter to you. Their products taste good I’m sure many of us can agree on that! We all need to do what is best for us. I just have a hard time having all these boxes of “high priced stuff” marketed at us because we are their captive audience.